GWS star Jye Caldwell officially requests a trade

A young gun has heaped more misery on the Giants by officially declaring his intentions to leave as a stack of stars head for the exit.

Jye Caldwell wants out.

Jye Caldwell is the latest GWS star to declare he wants out, officially requesting a trade to Victoria.

Essendon is reportedly the frontrunner to secure the 20-year-old’s services for next year as the Giants face a disastrous talent drain.

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Zac Williams, Aidan Corr and Jeremy Cameron all want to leave the Sydney club next season and the future of Jackson Hately is also uncertain.

The Giants selected Caldwell with their first pick (pick 11 overall) at the 2018 Draft, and the midfielder made his senior debut in Round 21 last year.

He’s played 11 games but already wants to leave.

Caldwell’s desire to join Essendon is a fresh blow for the Giants, who many pundits claim have missed their premiership window.

“Jye has informed us that he would like to return home to Victoria,” Giants football boss Jason McCartney said in a statement.

“We had tabled a very competitive offer for a second-year player but we’ll now work to facilitate a trade that will provide a strong result for our football club.”

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Jye Caldwell wants to move to Melbourne.

Carlton snapped up rebounding defender Williams on a monster long-term deal, Corr was shown the door before the season even ended after indicating he was moving to North Melbourne and the club’s leading goalkicker Cameron dropped a bomb during the week by revealing he wants to play for Geelong in 2021.

Former GWS and Carlton list manager Stephen Silvagni told SEN on Wednesday the Giants should be concerned about the flood of talent heading for the exit.

“If you look at the situation at the minute — and this is my opinion — as a club I’d be really worried,” Silvagni said.

“The fact that you’ve probably got three bona fide players in Williams, Corr and Cameron leaving the football club — they’re in their best 22 — then you look at Hately and possibly Caldwell leaving, who are high draft picks.

“If I was that football club and I was a CEO and board, I’d be extremely worried and trying to find out why this is happening because to have five players pretty much walking out of your club is very concerning.

“These boys, I know they are close up there, but the fact they’ve possibly missed that chance to nab a Grand Final win, I think that’s hurt them.”